A car negotiates a waterlogged road near Badabari on Thursday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 24: The low-pressure induced rain resulted in a cloudburst-like situation here as buildings collapsed and many areas got flooded due to waterlogging.

The incessant rain for fourth consecutive days caused a building collapse at Old Station Bazar last night around 11pm.

A fire service officer said: “The two-storey building had been left unused for nearly five years. But, a person named Sushant Singh was using it to sell religious items. He left for home around 9pm and the house collapsed around 11pm. There was no one inside.” Municipal commissioner Sanjib Kumar Mishra said: “The building was nearly 80 years old and not in use except for a room.” The city recorded 77mm rain in the past 24 hours ending 8am today. By 6pm, it received another 64.4mm rainfall.

Acharya Vihar Square was hit hard as a drain along the airport-Nandankanan road got choked and the flyover construction caused a traffic jam. Commuters travelling along Chandrasekharpur, Damana and Patia via Sainik School and those visiting hospitals on the same stretch bore the brunt. Around 3.30pm, the works department deployed an excavator to streamline the traffic.

Akshaya Dash, a hospital executive, who got stuck at the square, said: “Put the blame on the works department and the civic body for Acharya Vihar’s misery. Getting stuck here for hours may take a toll on patients’ lives.”

Many cars were also stranded due to engine malfunction caused by rainwater near the construction site of the flyover. Two-wheeler riders also faced difficulties wading through the stretch.

Besides, many parts of low-lying areas near Baramunda village, Nayapalli, Bomikhal, pockets adjacent to the eastern bank of the Daya West Canal, Laxmisagar, Chintamaniswar, Brahmeswar, Bhimatangi and parts of Sundarpada were affected by the rain.

Moreover, drainage channel No. 8 today flooded Badabari and Jagamara and damages a boundary wall on the Delta Square-Jagamara road. On the other hand, channel No. 7 flowing near the Kotitirtheswar lane at Old Town flooded the Swarnajaleswar and the Sampoornajaleswar temples.

Superintending archaeologist of state archaeology B.P. Ray said: “We had informed the drainage division, civic body and the development authority. Now after the Phailin attack and the subsequent rain, we will submit a fresh report on a proposed diversion of the drainage channel or any suitable alternative to save the beautiful monuments from damage in future.”